Two luxury vehicles belonging to Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena, now facing fraud charges with three Cottco bosses involving US$5 million, were seized and impounded by border authorities at Beitbridge to prevent them being shipped to South Africa.
Security sources said the red 2020 BMW X6 and 2019
Lamborghini, both high-performance sport utility vehicles, were moved from
Harare to Beitbridge in a car carrier on Thursday evening.
According to vehicle clearance documents, the two vehicles
were cleared at CID vehicles theft squad
in Harare on Wednesday, a routine procedure before vehicles can leave
the country.
“The yellow Lamborghini, engine number DHU005304, was being
driven by the legislator’s young brother, Professor Tatenda Wadyajena (32) a
footballer, and the red BMW X6 Engine number 21470026 was being driven by
Kudakwashe Kuora (32), a customs clearing agent,” said a border official on
condition of anonymity.
“We got information that the lawmaker was allegedly moving
his assets to South Africa ahead of the conclusion of his Cottco alleged fraud
trial.
“The two vehicles were transported in a car carrier and were
offloaded in Beitbridge before being driven through the Beitbridge border where
we impounded them”.
The official said the two vehicles arrived at the border
post around 10am with border staff told that they were being taken for routine
service in South Africa.
The security agents were suspicious about the timing by the
legislator to move the two vehicles soon after getting bail pending trial in
the US$5 million Cottco fraud case.
When contacted for comment, Wadyajena promised to call back
before going silent. “I will call you back later once I get settled,” said the
Gokwe-Nembudziya parliamentarian.
For the better part of the day, the two impounded vehicles
were a centre of attraction at the border for many travellers.
Security officials had a hard time controlling those who
sought to take pictures of the two luxury cars.
The security agents were suspicious about the timing by the
legislator to move the two vehicles soon after getting bail pending trial in
the US$5 million Cottco fraud case.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi was not readily available for comment last night.
The legislator, who chairs the parliamentary committee on
agriculture, is accused of being part of a US$5 million siphoning of funds from
Cotton Company of Zimbabwe, in particular of having his transport company
receive 25 trucks from an American company that had been allegedly paid to
supply bale ties to Cottco but instead had allegedly supplied the trucks that
were taken over by what is assumed to be Wadyajena’s company.
The legislator was arrested on Tuesday and charged with
fraud and money laundering involving US$5 million together with three Cottco
bosses and two companies, including his Mayor Logistics.
The other accomplices are suspended Cottco managing
director Pious Manamike (54), suspended Cottco head of marketing Maxmore Njanji
(47), Cottco acting procurement manager Fortunate Molai (34).
The accused persons were each granted $200 000 bail by a
Harare magistrate and ordered to surrender title deeds of their properties as
surety.
Charges are that sometime in 2019, the group allegedly
opened a shelf company Pierpont Moncroix Zimbabwe.
Shortly afterwards, a Mauritian company with a similar
name, but according to what the court was told had no connection to the
Zimbabwean company, was recommended by Molai to supply Cottco with 3,2 million
high carbon bale ties valued at US$2,6 million to cater for 2019 ginning
season.
Instead of importing the bales, the group switched the
payment to an American company and then imported 25 trucks between 2019 and
2020 using the bale tie money and these trucks were later registered under
Mayor Logistics.
In November of the same year, Manamike and Njanji are
accused of issuing a second purchase order on behalf of Cottco, which was
valued at US$1 106 000 for the purchase of the bale ties from the same American
Giant Equipment company.
The order was then approved even though Giant Equipment had
failed to deliver the first order.
Molai is alleged to have sent an email to the Cottco’s
treasurer in November 2021 in which she requested the company to pay a deposit
of US$2 500 000 to Energy Park Company for more bale ties.
The money was paid in instalments with some of it being
then transferred to Maropafadzo Energy (Pvt) Ltd. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment